Rare double for Sri Lanka

• Wellalage, Samarawickrama named ICC Players of the Month

Two of Sri Lanka’s finest young cricketers Dunith Wellalage and Harshitha Samarawickrama have been named as the ICC Players of the Month for August.

Wellalage was named ICC Men’s Player of the Month and Samarawickrama as ICC Women’s Player of the Month.

The rare double for Sri Lanka comes after Wellalage excelled in a home ODI series against India and Samarawickrama hit a purple patch on a tour of Ireland. The only previous instance of players from the same country winning the awards the same month was when Jasprit Bumrah and Smriti Mandhana were named the Players of the Month in June this year.

Wellalage won the coveted monthly award ahead of South Africa spinner Keshav Maharaj and West Indies fast bowler Jayden Seales, who were the others shortlisted.

Wellalage won the award after a Player of the Series performance that helped his side to a 2-0 series win over India. The 21-year-old left-hander had scores of 67 not out, 39 and two, while also picking up seven wickets in the series including a haul of five for 27 in the third match.

This is the fifth time that a Sri Lanka player has won the men’s award, the previous winners being Angelo Mathews (May 2022), Prabath Jayasuriya (July 2022), Wanindu Hasaranga (June 2023) and Kamindu Mendis (March 2024).

Wellalage was elated at winning the award and said that the award comes as a great encouragement.

“This is great news for me and brings immense satisfaction, as this recognition gives me further strength to continue doing the good work I do as a player and contribute to my team to reach excellence in the field,” said Wellalage.

“I wish to thank my teammates, parents, friends, and relatives, as I am sure my achievement will provide them great satisfaction, as they have been supporting me throughout. Recognition such as this, coming from the International Cricket Council, is great news for young players like us and will certainly encourage young players in the game.”

Samarawickerama, who edged out the Ireland duo of Orla Prendergast and Gaby Lewis, had a fine run on a tour of Ireland that saw her become only the third woman cricketer from Sri Lanka to notch a century in ODIs.

The 26-year-old left-hander aggregated 151 runs in the two T20Is played in Dublin at a strike rate of 169.66, which included a match-winning 86 not out off 45 balls in the first match. She scored 172 in three ODIs in Belfast at a strike rate of 82.69 including a knock of 105 in the second match.

Samarawickrama is only the second Sri Lanka player to win the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award. Captain Chamari Athapaththu has won the award three times – In September 2024, May 2024 and July 2024.

Samarawickrama said this recognition was very important since it came less than three weeks before the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024.

“I am extremely happy with this recognition, which I consider a new high in my career. It certainly gives me a lot of confidence ahead of the big competition, the Women’s T20 World Cup,” said Samarawickrama.

“This achievement would not have been possible without the incredible support network around me — my teammates, coaches, parents, my sister, brother, friends, and mentors. I take this opportunity to thank them all. I also wish to commend the players who were nominated alongside me for the Player of the Month award. They are immensely talented, and I loved competing with such quality.”